Floribunda rose plant named ‘KORtutu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of rose with long lasting, novel dark red flowers, and attractive foliage with good disease resistance. It exhibits upright growth with abundant flowers. The new variety propagates well from cuttings and by grafting. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Latin name of genus and species: The botanical classification of the new rose plant is Rosa hybrida.

Variety denomination: The denomination of the new variety is ‘KORtutu’.

CROSS REFERENCES AND FEDERAL R&D STATEMENT

There are no cross referenced or related applications. This variety was developed without the aid of any research grant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of rose plant of the present invention originated from a controlled crossing in a breeding program of two distinct parents during the summer of 2000. The crossing was between an unnamed seedling from the same breeder, and another unnamed seedling.

The resulting seeds were planted during the following winter. The resulting seedlings were evaluated and exhibited distinctive physical and biological characteristics. The new rose plant was selected as a single plant from the seedling beds due to its superior characteristics and asexually propagated for further evaluation. This new and distinctive rose variety is named ‘KORtutu’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new rose plant may be distinguished from its seed parent, an unnamed seedling, by the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   1. Petal count for ‘KORtutu’ is double. Petal count for the seed         parent is semi-double.     -   2. Flower diameter for ‘KORtutu’ is 100 mm on average. Flower         diameter for the seed parent is 60 mm on average.

The new rose plant may be distinguished from its pollen parent, an unnamed seedling, by the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   1. ‘KORtutu’ reaches a height of 80 cm. The pollen parent         reaches a height of 120 cm.     -   2. The common color of the flower bloom of ‘KORtutu’ is dark         red. The common color of the flower bloom of the pollen parent         is medium red.

The objective of the hybridization was to create a new and distinct rose plant with unique qualities, such as:

-   -   1. Uniform growth and flowering;     -   2. Abundant attractive, recurrent flowers;     -   3. Attractive and abundant foliage; and     -   3. Resistance to diseases encountered in landscapes and gardens.

This combination of qualities is not present in prior rose cultivars known to the inventor. These objectives have been substantially achieved and in that distinguish ‘KORtutu’ from all other varieties of which I am aware.

As part of a rose development program, Tim-Hermann Kordes germinated seeds from the aforementioned hybridization and conducted evaluations and observations on the resulting seedlings in a controlled environment in Offenseth-Sparrieshoop, Germany. The resulting seedlings exhibited distinctive physical and biological characteristics. The new rose plant ‘KORtutu’ was selected in May, 2001 from the seedling beds to be asexually propagated for further evaluation. The first asexual propagation of ‘KORtutu’ was done by budding to seedling understocks in July, 2001 at the inventor's nursery in Offenseth-Sparrieshoop, Germany.

This initial and other subsequent propagations conducted in controlled environments demonstrate that ‘KORtutu’ reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color drawing shows as true as is reasonably possible to obtain in color photographs of this type, the typical characteristics of the buds, flowers, leaves, and stems of ‘KORtutu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a description of ‘KORtutu’, as observed growing in October, 2010 in a nursery in Jackson County, Oreg. on plants of five years of age. Color references are made using The Royal Horticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart, 2001 except where common terms of color are used.

For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the rose variety ‘KORtocrea’, an unpatented rose variety from the same inventor are compared to ‘KORtutu’ in Chart 1.

CHART 1 Characteristic ‘KORtutu’ ‘KORtocrea’ Average height of mature plant 80 cm 120-150 cm Average flower diameter 100 mm 120 mm Fragrance Slight Moderate

-   Parents:     -   -   Seed parent.—An unnamed seedling.         -   Pollen parent.—An unnamed seedling. -   Classification:     -   -   Botanical classification.—Rosa hybrida, ‘KORtutu’.         -   Commercial classification.—Floribunda rose.

FLOWER AND FLOWER BUD

-   Blooming habit: Recurrent. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Size.—Upon opening, 40 mm in length from base of receptacle             to end of bud and 25 mm diameter at its widest point.         -   Bud form.—Long. Pointed ovoid.         -   Bud color.—As sepals first unfold, bud color is Gray-Purple             Group 187B. When ¼ open, the upper surface of petals is Red             Group 46B, and the lower surface is Gray-Purple Group 185A.         -   Sepals.—Size: Average 40 mm long×10 mm wide. Shape: Sepals             generally subulate. Sepal apex is generally cirrose. Weak             foliaceous appendages on three of the five sepals. Base is             flat at union with receptacle. Quantity: Five. Margins: With             stipitate glands. Surface texture: Inner side: Covered in             fine hairs. Outer surface: Glabrous. Stipitate glands are             absent. Color: Upper surface Yellow-Green Group 146A. Lower             surface Yellow-Green Group 146B. -   Receptacle:     -   -   Surface.—Smooth. With stipitate glands.         -   Color.—Yellow-Green Group 144A. Intonations of Gray-Red             Group 182A.         -   Shape.—Campanulate.         -   Size.—12 mm (h)×15 mm (w). -   Peduncle:     -   -   Surface.—Smooth.         -   Length.—60-75 mm average length.         -   Diameter.—4 mm average diameter.         -   Color.—Yellow-Green Group 144A. Intonations of Gray-Red             Group 182A.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Borne.—Singly. -   Flower bloom:     -   -   Fragrance.—Light.         -   Duration.—On the plant 7-9 days. As a cut flower, 4 to 6             days. Senesced petals drop away cleanly.         -   Size.—Large flowered garden rose. When open, the average             flower diameter is 100 mm and the average flower height is             55 mm.         -   Form.—Shape of flower when viewed from the side: Upon             opening, upper part: Flattened convex. Upon opening, lower             part: Flat. Open flower, upper part: Cupped. Open flower,             lower part: Flat. -   Color:     -   -   Upon opening, petals.—Outermost petals: Outer Side: Red             Group 46A. Inner Side: Red Group 46A. Innermost petals:             Outer Side: Red Group 46A. Inner Side: Red Group 45A.         -   Upon opening, basal petal spots.—Basal petal spot, outermost             petals: Outer Side: Yellow Group 10C. Inner Side: Yellow             Group 10A. Basal petal spot, innermost petals: Outer Side:             Yellow Group 9B. Inner Side: Yellow Group 9A.         -   After opening, petals.—Outermost petals: Outer Side: Red             Group 46A. Inner Side: Red Group 46B. Innermost petals:             Outer Side: Red Group 46A. Inner Side: Red Group 45A.         -   After opening, basal petal spots.—Basal petal spot,             outermost petals: Outer Side: Yellow Group 10C. Inner Side:             Yellow Group 10A. Basal petal spot, innermost petals: Outer             Side: Yellow Group 9B. Inner Side: Yellow Group 9A.             Variegations: Occasional streak of White Group 155D on the             innermost petals. -   General tonality: On open flower Red Group 46A. No change in the     general tonality at the end of the 9^(th) day. Afterwards, general     tonality is Red Group 53A. -   Petals:     -   -   Petal count.—Approximately 42-48 petals under normal             conditions.         -   Petal reflex.—Petals reflex slightly.         -   Petal edge.—Entire.         -   Petal shape.—Round. Apex shape is round. Shape of base is             rounded.         -   Petal size.—40-45 mm long; 40-45 mm wide.         -   Thickness.—Average.         -   Petal arrangement.—Generally in a regular pattern with             overlapping edges. -   Petaloids: Present.     -   -   Petaloid count.—Average of 4-8 per flower.         -   Petaloid edge.—Smooth.         -   Petaloid texture.—Smooth.         -   Petaloid shape.—Linear to elliptic.         -   Petaloid size.—Petaloids are 12 mm long and 8 mm wide.         -   Petaloid color.—Color of inner side is Red Group 46A. Color             of outer side is Red Group 46A. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Pistils.—Approximately 80-100 present. Stigmas: Location:             Inferior in position to anthers. Color: Gray-Yellow Group             160A. Styles: Length: 10 mm long. Color: Gray-Yellow Group             160A.         -   Stamens.—Approximately 60-80 on average and regularly             arranged. Anthers: Size: 2-3 mm long. Color: Gray-Orange             Group 173C. Pollen: Generally absent. Filaments: Color:             Yellow Group 8A. Intonations of Red Group 40B. Length: 14             mm.

THE PLANT

-   Plant growth: Moderate vigor. Upright to bushy habit. When grown as     a budded nursery plant the average plant height is 80 cm and the     average plant width is 60 cm. -   Stems:     -   -   Stem color.—Young wood: Yellow-Green Group 144A. Older wood:             Yellow-Green Group 144A.         -   Stem surface.—Young wood: Smooth. Older wood: Smooth. -   Prickles: Present.     -   -   Incidence.—12-18 per 10 cm of juvenile stem; 6-10 per 10 cm             of mature stem.         -   Size.—Average length: 8 mm.         -   Color.—Immature prickles: Gray-Purple Group 185A. Mature             prickles: Gray-Red Group 182A. Senescing to Gray-Orange             Group 174A.         -   Shape.—Concave. -   Leaves and leaflets: Normally 5-7 leaflets on normal leaves in     middle of the stem.     -   -   Venation pattern.—Pyramidal net pattern.         -   Leaf size.—125 mm (l)×90 mm (w).         -   Quantity.—Abundant.         -   Texture.—Upper side of leaflet: Semi glossy. Smooth.             Leathery. Under side of leaflet: Matte. Smooth. Leathery.         -   Color, mature foliage.—Upper Leaf Surface: Green Group 137A.             Lower Leaf Surface: Yellow-Green Group 146B.         -   Color, juvenile foliage.—Upper Leaf Surface: Green Group             137A. Lower Leaf Surface: Yellow-Green Group 146B.         -   Anthocyanin intonation.—Present. Location: Intonations             present on juvenile leaf margins and developing leaves.             Color: Gray-Purple Group 183B. -   Stipules:     -   -   Size.—20 mm long. 7 mm between the tips of the stipule. Main             body of stipule 2 mm in width.         -   Shape.—Elongated; winged along middle.         -   Stipule color.—Yellow-Green Group 146B.         -   Presence of stipitate glands.—Generally lacking.         -   Margins.—Serrated. -   Petiole:     -   -   Length.—30 mm.         -   Diameter.—1.5 mm.         -   Petiole color.—Yellow-Green Group 144A.         -   Underneath.—A few small prickles underneath.         -   Stipitate glands.—Limited numbers of stipitate glands on             margins. -   Petiole rachis:     -   -   Length.—40 mm.         -   Diameter.—1 mm.         -   Color.—Yellow-Green Group 144A. Anthocyanin present on             juvenile tissue. Color: Gray-Purple Group 185A.         -   Margins.—Smooth.         -   Prickles.—A few small prickles underneath.         -   Stipitate glands.—Limited numbers of stipitate glands on             margins. -   Leaflets:     -   -   Size.—Average size of the terminal leaflet is 45-50 mm             (l)×35-40 mm (w).         -   Shape.—Broadly ovate. Base: Ovate. Apex: Acute.         -   Margins.—Serrated.         -   Texture.—Leathery. -   Hips/seed formation: None observed. -   Winter hardiness: To date, the variety has been grown successfully     in Zone 5. -   Disease resistance: Above average resistance to Powdery mildew     (Sphaerotheca pannosa), rust (Phragmidium spp.), and blackspot     (Diplocarpon rosae) diseases under normal growing conditions. 

1. A new and distinct variety of rose plant, as described and illustrated herein. 